Reading Story Problems: Research on the Impact of Brief, Narrowly Focused Inservice.

Mann, George; Frame, Norman

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of two types of teacher inservice education programs upon fourth-grade students' achievement in solving mathematics story problems. Participating teachers attended two types of teacher inservice education programs; a traditional program, and a brief, narrowly focused special program (2.5 hours of training). Using posttest control group design and the t-test for independent samples, it was found that students (n=45) whose teachers had experienced the brief, narrowly focused teacher inservice training for teaching mathematics story problems did not achieve significantly higher test scores than did the students whose teachers had received more traditional teacher inservice training. Appendices include: (1) "Teacher Packet: Addition and Subtraction Story Problems"; (2) "Teacher Packet: Multiplication and Division Story Problems"; and (3) "Story Problem Skills Test." (Author/YP)